MP3 At 3PM: The Ruby Suns

On “Closet Astrologer,” New Zealand’s Ruby Suns pick up where My Bloody Valentine left off, modernizing Kevin Shields and Co.’s beautiful wall of sound by layering towering pads and off-beat percussive flourishes against reverb-soaked vocals. Trading massive guitars for glowing synthesizers, the Suns work immediately to assemble an air, a feeling—more than a song—recalling the way MBV’s masterpiece Loveless is remembered less for specific cuts than its groundbreaking aesthetic. To be clear, “Closet Astrologer” isn’t life-changing in the way “To Here Knows When” or “Loomer” continue to be for MBV fans new and old, but it nonetheless warrants commending for its relatively seamless gathering of ambient, electronic and pop textures under one opaque sky, positioning the Ruby Suns rightfully in the same class as dreamy Swedish acts Air France and the Tough Alliance. The band is about to tour Europe in support of its third LP, Fight Softly, out now on Sub Pop. And here’s a bonus mp3 for “Cranberry.”